Mobile device and method for processing an acoustic signal

ABSTRACT

A mobile device and method for processing an acoustic signal are provided. The mobile device may calculate a position of an inputted touch and recognize a character from the calculated position. The mobile device may perform a function corresponding to the recognized character, or display the position of the touch.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2009-0095958, filed on Oct. 9, 2009, in theKorean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The following description relates to a technique for processing anacoustic signal in a mobile device.

2. Description of Related Art

Due to a variety of user interface (UI) technologies used in a mobiledevices and an improvement in a performance of mobile devices, users maydesire to control the mobile device using a more convenient and naturalUI. For example, a touch technique in place of an existing key pad maysimultaneously provide entertainment and convenience to the users.

However, the touch technique may have several drawbacks. For example, auser needs to directly touch a touch screen of the mobile device toenable the touch to be recognized as an input. Other drawbacks mayinclude, for example, the mobile device being deformed due to beingfrequently touched, or damage to the touch screen may be caused by aforcible input. Also, the mobile device may need to be miniaturized, andthus, the size of the touch screen may be limited. Also, the user mayneed to hold/look at the mobile device carefully for an extended periodof time to perform an input operation. Thus, the user may becomephysically stressed or fatigued after using the mobile device for a longperiod of time.

To address some of the above-mentioned drawbacks, the mobile device mayprovide a UI of a new scheme to a user using a UI technology employingan acoustic sensor.

FIG. 1 illustrates conventional examples of acoustic-based interfaces.

Referring to FIG. 1, an Acoustic Pulse Recognition (APR) technique 110may include an acoustic sensor attached to the surface of a device. Aunique sound generated by a touch on a specific portion of a surface maybe stored. The sound generated when a user touches the specific portionand previously stored sounds may be compared with each other, todetermining a position where the touch operation is performed.

However, in the APR technique 110, it may be impossible to recognize acomplex touch performed using a character or a figure, and only aposition where the touch operation is performed may be determined. Also,when a number of the acoustic sensors is relatively low, the number oftouched positions capable of being determined may be small. Also, arange in which the touch operation may be sensed is limited to only asurface of a corresponding device.

Alternatively, a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technique 120 may beperformed such that an interrupted position may be calculated. The SAWtechnique may determine a touch position when an advancing path of asound wave is interrupted by objects such as fingers, a touch pen, andthe like. The SAW technique may include a transmitter for emitting thesound wave to a surface of a corresponding device, a reflector forreflecting the sound wave at predetermined intervals, and a receiverattached on the surface.

However, this SAW technique 120 may also have problems in that thecomplex touch performed using the character or the figure may beimpossible to be recognized, and only a touched position may bedetermined. Also, a range in which the touch operation may be sensed islimited to only a surface of a corresponding device.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, there is provided a mobile device for processingan acoustic signal, the device comprising a sensing unit configured tosense an acoustic signal based on a touch inputted from a surface of themobile device, an acoustic signal processing unit configured to performsignal processing on the sensed acoustic signal, an acoustic signalposition determining unit configured to calculate a position of theinputted touch based on the signal-processed acoustic signal, and acharacter recognition unit configured to recognize a character from thecalculated position.

The sensing unit may include at least one of a noise sensor, a vibrationsensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

The acoustic signal processing unit may process the acoustic signal byperforming at least one of amplifying and filtering the sensed acousticsignal.

The acoustic signal processing unit may process the acoustic signal byperforming at least one of a sampling operation, a quantizationoperation, and an encoding operation, to convert the sensed analogacoustic signal to a digital acoustic signal.

The acoustic signal position determining unit may calculate the positionusing a multilateration including a hyperbolic positioning method, basedon the time it takes for the acoustic signal to reach the sensing unit.

The acoustic signal position determining unit may divide thesignal-processed acoustic signal into segments, and may apply a positioncalculation algorithm to each of the divided segments to calculateconsecutive coordinates with respect to the position of the inputtedtouch.

The sensing unit may include a plurality of acoustic sensor pairs, andthe acoustic signal position determining unit may measure a differencein time from when the acoustic signal reaches each of the plurality ofacoustic sensor pairs, and may calculate coordinates of the positionusing the measured difference in times.

The acoustic signal position determining unit calculates the coordinatesof the position inputted by the touch using Equations 1 and 2,

√{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y ₁)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y₁)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}{square root over ((x−x₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}=vΔt _(1,3),  [Equation 1]

and

√{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y ₂)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y₂)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}{square root over ((x−x₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 2]

where x and y denote coordinates of the position of the inputted touch,and (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂), (x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄) denote coordinates of thelocations of the plurality of acoustic sensor pairs.

The character recognition unit may recognize a character based on aninput of consecutive coordinates of the calculated position.

The mobile device may further comprise a user configuration unit toreceive, from a user, a designation for a function to be performed inassociation with the recognized character, and a function execution unitto perform a function corresponding to the recognized character.

In another general aspect, there is provided a mobile device forprocessing an acoustic signal, the mobile device comprising a sensingunit configured to sense an acoustic signal based on a touch event withrespect to an object that is approximately in contact with the mobiledevice, an acoustic signal processing unit configured to perform signalprocessing on the sensed acoustic signal, an acoustic signal positiondetermining unit configured to calculate a position generated by thetouch event using the signal-processed acoustic signal, and a shaperecognition unit configured to recognize the calculated position as ashape.

The mobile device may further comprise a vibration unit to generate avibration signal based on the sensed acoustic signal, wherein theacoustic signal processing unit may measure an acoustic propagationspeed including a speed in which the acoustic signal is propagated fromthe object, based on the distance between the sensing unit and thevibration unit and the time it takes for the vibration signal to besensed by the sensing unit.

The acoustic signal position determining unit may calculate the positionusing a multilateration including a position calculation algorithm,based on a time delay from when the acoustic signal reaches the sensingunit and the measured acoustic propagation speed.

The mobile device may further comprise a display unit to display therecognized shape in a symmetrical manner.

In another general aspect, there is provided a method of processing anacoustic signal, the method comprising sensing an acoustic signal basedon a touch inputted from a surface of a mobile device, signal processingthe sensed acoustic signal, calculating a position of the inputted touchbased on the signal-processed acoustic signal, and executing a functionbased on the calculated position.

The sensing may include sensing the acoustic signal generated bytouching an object that is approximately in contact with the mobiledevice.

The signal processing may include at least one of amplifying andfiltering the sensed acoustic signal, and the signal processing mayinclude at least one of a sampling operation, a quantization operation,and an encoding operation to convert the sensed analog acoustic signalinto a digital acoustic signal.

The calculating may include dividing the signal-processed acousticsignal into segments, and calculating consecutive coordinates of theposition of the inputted touch by applying a position calculationalgorithm to each of the divided segments.

The calculating may include calculating the position using amultilateration including a position calculation algorithm, based on thetime it takes for the acoustic signal to reach an acoustic sensor thatincludes at least one of a noise sensor, a vibration sensor, and anultrasonic sensor.

The calculating may include measuring a difference in time from when theacoustic signal reaches each of a plurality of acoustic sensor pairs forsensing the acoustic signal, and calculating coordinates of the positionby applying the measured difference in times to Equations 1 and 2,

√{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y ₁)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y₁)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}{square root over ((x−x₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}=vΔt _(1,3),  [Equation 1]

and

√{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y ₂)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y₂)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}{square root over ((x−x₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 2]

where x and y denote coordinates of the position of the inputted touch,and (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂), (x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄) denote coordinates of theposition of the plurality of acoustic sensor pairs.

The method may further comprise storing, in a storing unit, a charactercorresponding to the function to be performed, wherein the executingincludes recognizing, as a character, a consecutive input with respectto coordinates of the calculated position, and executing the functionbased on the recognized character stored in the storing unit.

The method may further comprise recognizing the calculated position as acontinuous shape, and displaying, on a screen, the recognized shape.

In another general aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storagemedium storing a program to process an acoustic signal, the storagemedium comprising sensing an acoustic signal based on a touch inputtedfrom a surface of a mobile device, signal processing the sensed acousticsignal, calculating a position inputted by the touch based on thesignal-processed acoustic signal, and executing a function based on thecalculated position.

Other features and aspects may be apparent from the followingdescription, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating conventional examples of anacoustic-based interface.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a mobile device thatperforms acoustic signal processing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of sensing an acousticsignal based on a touch inputted on a surface of the example mobiledevice of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of calculating a position ofan inputted touch using the example mobile device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of sensing an acousticsignal based on a touch event generated by an object being near theexample mobile device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for processing an acousticsignal.

Throughout the drawings and the description, unless otherwise described,the same drawing reference numerals are understood to refer to the sameelements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction ofthese elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, andconvenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is provided to assist the reader in gaining acomprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systemsdescribed herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, andequivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described hereinmay be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progressionof processing steps and/or operations described is an example; however,the sequence of steps and/or operations is not limited to that set forthherein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception ofsteps and/or operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also,description of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted forincreased clarity and conciseness.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a mobile device (also referred to as amobile terminal) that performs acoustic signal processing.

Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile device 200 may include a sensing unit210, an acoustic signal processing unit 220, an acoustic signal positiondetermining unit 230, a character recognition unit 240, a functionexecution unit 250, a user configuration unit 260, a storing unit 270, ashape recognition unit 280, a display unit 290, and a vibration unit291.

The sensing unit 210 may sense, as an acoustic signal, a touch inputtedfrom a surface of the mobile device 200. The surface may be, forexample, a front surface, a rear surface, a side surface, and the like.The sensing unit 210 may include, for example, at least one of a noisesensor, a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like, whichare used for sensing acoustic signals. Each of the noise sensor, thevibration sensor, and the ultrasonic sensor may be an acoustic sensorfor sensing the acoustic signal, and may also have a different method ofsensing the acoustic signal.

The sensing unit 210 may be attached on a surface of the mobile device200, sense an analog signal generated from an interior or an exterior ofthe mobile device 200, and transmit the sensed acoustic signal to theacoustic signal processing unit 220. The mobile device may include oneor more acoustic sensors, for example, one sensor, two sensors, foursensors, six sensors, 10 sensors, or other desired amount of sensors. Inthe example shown in FIG. 2, the mobile device 200 includes fouracoustics sensors, acting as the sensing unit 210, mounted on each ofedges of the mobile device 200. This example is merely for illustration.The number of sensors, they type of sensors, and the location of thesensors may be any desired number, type, and location.

The acoustic signal processing unit 220 may perform signal processing onthe sensed acoustic signal. The acoustic signal processing unit 220 mayamplify the sensed acoustic signal, for example, when the sensedacoustic signal is relatively weak. The acoustic signal processing unit220 may reduce noise from the acoustic signal. The acoustic signalprocessing unit 220 may perform a filtering of the acoustic signal forone or more frequency bands. The acoustic processing unit 220 mayperform, for example, at least one of a sampling operation, aquantization operation, and an encoding operation to convert the analogacoustic signal into a digital acoustic signal, and the like.

The acoustic signal position determining unit 230 may calculate aposition of an inputted touch using a multilateration also known as ahyperbolic positioning method. The multilateration may include aposition calculation algorithm that is based on a time delay of when theacoustic signal reaches the sensing unit 210. For example, the acousticsignal position determining unit 230 may divide the signal-processedacoustic signal into segments, and apply the position calculationalgorithm to each of the segments to obtain consecutive coordinates withrespect to the position of the inputted touch. For example, theconsecutive coordinates may include a consecutive line such as an “O”,an “L”, a “V”, an “X”, and the like.

According to various embodiments, when the sensing unit 210 includes aplurality of acoustic sensor pairs, the acoustic signal positiondetermining unit 230 may measure a difference in time from when theacoustic signal reaches each of the plurality of acoustic sensor pairs.The signal position determining unit 230 may calculate the coordinatesof the position using the measured difference in times.

The character recognition unit 240 may recognize a character from thecalculated position. For example, the character recognition unit 240 mayrecognize, as a character, a consecutive input with respect to thecalculated coordinates of the position.

The function execution unit 250 may perform a function based on therecognized character. The user may previously set the function to beperformed based on the character. In this regard, the user configurationunit 260 may receive, from a user, a designation for the function to beperformed based on the character. For example, the character “X” maycorrespond to a power off function, the character “P” may correspond toa play video function, and the like. The storing unit 270 may store acharacter associated with the function. In this manner, the functionexecution unit 250 may perform the function based on the characterstored in the storing unit 270.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the sensing unit 210, the acousticsignal processing unit 220, the acoustic signal position determiningunit 230, the character recognition unit 240, the function executionunit 250, the user configuration unit 260, the storing unit 270, theshape recognition unit 280, the display unit 290, and the vibration unit291 are described as separate components. However, it should beunderstood that one or more of the components may be combined into thesame component.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of sensing an acoustic signal based on atouch inputted from a surface of the example mobile device of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the mobile device 200 may include one or moresensors. In this example, the mobile device 200 includes four acousticsensors acting as the sensing unit 210 and located approximate edges ofthe mobile device 200. The four acoustic sensors may have coordinates,for example, (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂), (x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄), respectively, andthe coordinates of the position of the inputted touch may be (x,y). Theacoustic signal position determining unit 230 may calculate the positionusing the multilateration also known as hyperbolic positioning methodbased on a difference in time from when the acoustic signal reaches oneor more of the acoustic sensors.

For example, when a touch shaped like the character “V” is recognized bythe character recognition unit 240, the function execution unit 250 mayplay a Moving Picture Experts Group layer 3 (MP3) file based on therecognized character “V”. As another example, when a touch shaped like acharacter “X” is recognized from the calculated position, the functionexecution unit 250 may turn off a power of the mobile device 200 basedon the recognized character “X”.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of calculating a position of an inputtedtouch using the example mobile device of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, the acoustic signal position determining unit 230may calculate coordinates of the position of the inputted touch usingthe following example Equations 1 and 2.

√{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y ₁)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y₁)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}{square root over ((x−x₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 1]

and

√{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y ₂)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y₂)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}{square root over ((x−x₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 2]

where (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂), (x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄) denote coordinates of fouracoustic sensors (401, 402, 403, and 404) included in the mobile device200, (x, y) denotes coordinates of the position of the inputted touch,and “v” denotes a speed in which a sound wave is propagated in thesurface of the mobile device 200.

The acoustic signal position determining unit 230 may measure adifference in time (vΔt_(1,3)) from when the acoustic signal reaches theacoustic sensors 401 and 403 from the position of the inputted touchusing Equation 1, and measure another difference in time (vΔt_(2,4))from when the acoustic signal reaches the acoustic sensors 402 and 404from the position of the inputted touch using Equation 2. The acousticsignal position determining unit 230 may calculate the coordinates ofthe position using the measured difference in times.

According to various embodiments, the acoustic signal positiondetermining unit 230 may divide the acoustic signal into segments, forexample, segment 1, segment 2 . . . , and segment n, and applymultilateration to each of the divided segments. The multilateration maybe based on a difference in time from when the acoustic signal reacheseach of the acoustic sensors to obtain consecutive coordinates withrespect to the position of the inputted touch. For example, the acousticsignal position determining unit 230 may obtain coordinates (x₁,y₁) of asegment 1, coordinates (x₂,y₂) of a segment 2, . . . and coordinates(x_(n),y_(n)) of a segment n, respectively, to calculate the consecutivecoordinates with respect to the position of the inputted touch.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of sensing an acoustic signal based on atouch event of an object located near the example mobile device of FIG.2.

Referring to FIG. 5, the sensing unit 210 may sense an acoustic signalin accordance with the touch event generated with respect to the object500. That is, the sensing unit 210 may sense, as the acoustic signal, atouch event that occurs on the object 500 that is approximately incontact with the mobile device 200. For example, the object may be madeof different materials such as a wood desk, a book, a wire plate, andthe like. For example, a user may touch the object 500 of a desk in astate in which the mobile device 200 is nearby the desk. The sensingunit 210 may sense, the operation of touching the desk by the user.

When the acoustic signal is sensed, the vibration unit 291 may generatea vibration signal. The vibration unit 291 may be disposed in the mobiledevice 220, for example, approximate a center portion of the mobiledevice 200.

In this regard, the acoustic signal processing unit 220 may measure aspeed in which the acoustic signal is propagated via the object 500,based on a distance between the sensing unit 210 and the vibration unit291, and a time it takes for the vibration signal to be sensed by thesensing unit 210. The speed in which the acoustic signal is propagatedis the acoustic propagation speed.

For example, the acoustic propagation speed may be propagated via asolid element and may vary depending on size, consistency, material, andshape of the object 500. Accordingly, when the acoustic signal isgenerated by a user using the object that is different from the mobiledevice 200, a current speed by the object 500 of propagating theacoustic signal may be measured. In this example, the object 500 may beapproximately in contact with the mobile device 200. As describe herein,the phrase “approximately in contact” includes the mobile device incontact with the object, or the mobile device not in contact with theobject, but close enough to sense a touch input. However, as illustratedin FIG. 3, the acoustic signal may be generated via a surface of themobile device 200, or the object may be fixed on the mobile device 200as an external material of the mobile device 200. In these examples, theacoustic signal position determining unit 230 may use a previouslystored acoustic propagation speed.

That is, because the acoustic signal processing unit 220 obtains adistance (D) between the sensing unit 210 and the vibration unit 291 anda time (T) it takes for the vibration signal to be sensed by the sensingunit 210, a speed (V) in which the acoustic signal is propagated via theobject 500 may be measured (i.e. distance (D)=speed (V)×time (T)).

In this regard, the acoustic signal position determining unit 230 maycalculate a position where the touch event is generated using amultilateration. The multilateration is a position calculation algorithmbased on a time delay for the acoustic signal to reach the sensing unit210 and the measured acoustic propagation speed.

The shape recognition unit 280 may recognize the calculated position asa shape. For example, a shape such as a picture or an image may includea line having consecutive coordinates, and the shape recognition unit280 may recognize, as the shape, the calculated position having theconsecutive coordinates. The shape may also include broken lines ornon-consecutive coordinates.

The display unit 290 may display the recognized position as the shape ina symmetrical manner. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the displayunit 290 may display a recognized shape “V” on the screen.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method for processing an acoustic signal.

In operation 610, the method senses an acoustic signal, for example, atouch inputted from a surface of a mobile device. For example, themobile device may include one or more acoustic sensors attached on orinside the mobile device, and may sense an acoustic signal generated inan interior or an exterior of the mobile device. The mobile device mayalso sense an acoustic signal with respect to a touch event generatedvia an object being approximately in contact with the mobile device.

In operation 620, the method performs signal processing on the sensedacoustic signal. For example, the method may perform at least one ofamplifying the sensed acoustic signal, eliminating a noise from theacoustic signal, converting the acoustic signal from an analog acousticsignal into a digital acoustic signal, and the like.

In operation 630, the method calculates a position of the inputted touchbased on the signal-processed acoustic signal. For example, the methodmay calculate the position using a multilateration. The multilaterationis a position calculation algorithm, based on the time it takes for theacoustic signal to reach a sensor, for example, a noise sensor, avibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like.

Next, the method may perform either operation 641 or operation 651.

In operation 641, the method may recognize a character based on an inputwith respect to coordinates of the calculated position. In operation642, the method may perform a function associated with the recognizedinput as the character. For example, the method may receive in advance,from a user, a function to be performed corresponding to the character.The function corresponding to the character may be stored in the storingunit 270, and the method may perform the function stored in the storingunit 270. For example, a V-shaped input performed by a user may causethe mobile device to play an MP3.

In operation 651, the method may recognize, as a shape, the calculatedposition. In operation 652, the method may display, on a screen, therecognized position as the shape in a symmetrical manner.

The method illustrated in FIG. 6 may adopt descriptions of theoperations illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, and thus detailed descriptionsthereof are omitted.

The mobile device and method described herein may recognize a touch of auser on the mobile device, or a touch of the user on an objectapproximately in contact with the mobile device. The inputted touch maybe sensed by one or more acoustic sensors contained in the mobiledevice. The mobile device may include a storage that has stored thereina number of functions, for example, play MP3, make a phone call, checke-mail, power off, power on, and the like. The functions may be preset,for example, by a user of the mobile device, by the manufacturer of themobile device, and the like.

The mobile device may include a character recognition unit thatrecognizes the inputted touch of a user on a surface of the mobiledevice, or on an object approximately in contact with the mobile device.The mobile device may search the storage and determine a character thatcorresponds to the touch inputted by the user. Based on the inputtedtouch, the mobile device may perform the function that corresponds tothe character inputted by the user. Also, the mobile device may displaythe character corresponding to the inputted touch on a display.

The processes, functions, methods and/or software described above may berecorded, stored, or fixed in one or more computer-readable storagemedia that includes program instructions to be implemented by a computerto cause a processor to execute or perform the program instructions. Themedia may also include, alone or in combination with the programinstructions, data files, data structures, and the like. The media andprogram instructions may be those specially designed and constructed, orthey may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skillin the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable storagemedia include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, andmagnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROM disks and DVDs;magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices thatare specially configured to store and perform program instructions, suchas read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, andthe like. Examples of program instructions include both machine code,such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level codethat may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The describedhardware devices may be configured to act as one or more softwaremodules in order to perform the operations and methods described above,or vice versa. In addition, a computer-readable storage medium may bedistributed among computer systems connected through a network andcomputer-readable codes or program instructions may be stored andexecuted in a decentralized manner.

As a non-exhaustive illustration only, a terminal device describedherein may refer to mobile devices such as a cellular phone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a digital camera, a portable game console, andan MP3 player, a portable/personal multimedia player (PMP), a handhelde-book, a portable lab-top personal computer (PC), a global positioningsystem (GPS) navigation, and devices such as a desktop PC, a highdefinition television (HDTV), an optical disc player, a setup box, andthe like capable of wireless communication or communication consistentwith that disclosed herein.

A computing system or a computer may include a microprocessor that iselectrically connected with a bus, a user interface, and a memorycontroller. It may further include a flash memory device. The flashmemory device may store N-bit data via the memory controller. The N-bitdata is processed or will be processed by the microprocessor and N maybe 1 or an integer greater than 1. Where the computing system orcomputer is a mobile apparatus, a battery may be additionally providedto supply operation voltage of the computing system or computer.

It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that thecomputing system or computer may further include an application chipset,a camera image processor (CIS), a mobile Dynamic Random Access Memory(DRAM), and the like. The memory controller and the flash memory devicemay constitute a solid state drive/disk (SSD) that uses a non-volatilememory to store data.

A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it shouldbe understood that various modifications may be made. For example,suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques areperformed in a different order and/or if components in a describedsystem, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a differentmanner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or theirequivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope ofthe following claims.

1. A mobile device for processing an acoustic signal, the devicecomprising: a sensing unit configured to sense an acoustic signal basedon a touch inputted from a surface of the mobile device; an acousticsignal processing unit configured to perform signal processing on thesensed acoustic signal; an acoustic signal position determining unitconfigured to calculate a position of the inputted touch based on thesignal-processed acoustic signal; and a character recognition unitconfigured to recognize a character from the calculated position.
 2. Themobile device of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises at leastone of: a noise sensor, a vibration sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor. 3.The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal processingunit is further configured to process the acoustic signal by performingat least one of: amplifying and filtering the sensed acoustic signal. 4.The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal processingunit is further configured to process the acoustic signal to convert thesensed analog acoustic signal to a digital acoustic signal by performingat least one of: a sampling operation, a quantization operation, and anencoding operation.
 5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein theacoustic signal position determining unit is further configured tocalculate the position using a multilateration comprising a hyperbolicpositioning method, based on the time it takes for the acoustic signalto reach the sensing unit.
 6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein theacoustic signal position determining unit is further configured to:divide the signal-processed acoustic signal into segments; and apply aposition calculation algorithm to each of the divided segments tocalculate consecutive coordinates with respect to the position of theinputted touch.
 7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein: the sensingunit comprises a plurality of acoustic sensor pairs; and the acousticsignal position determining unit is further configured to: measure adifference in time from when the acoustic signal reaches each of theplurality of acoustic sensor pairs; and calculate coordinates of theposition using the measured difference in times.
 8. The mobile device ofclaim 7, wherein the acoustic signal position determining unit isfurther configured to calculate the coordinates of the position inputtedby the touch using Equations 1 and 2,√{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y ₁)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y₁)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}{square root over ((x−x₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}=vΔt _(1,3),  [Equation 1]and√{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y ₂)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y₂)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}{square root over ((x−x₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 2] where x and y denotecoordinates of the position of the inputted touch, and (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂),(x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄) denote coordinates of the locations of theplurality of acoustic sensor pairs.
 9. The mobile device of claim 1,wherein the character recognition unit is further configured torecognize a character based on an input of consecutive coordinates ofthe calculated position.
 10. The mobile device of claim 1, furthercomprising: a user configuration unit configured to receive, from auser, a designation for a function to be performed in association withthe recognized character; and a function execution unit configured toperform a function corresponding to the recognized character.
 11. Amobile device for processing an acoustic signal, the mobile devicecomprising: a sensing unit configured to sense an acoustic signal basedon a touch event with respect to an object that is approximately incontact with the mobile device; an acoustic signal processing unitconfigured to perform signal processing on the sensed acoustic signal;an acoustic signal position determining unit configured to calculate aposition generated by the touch event using the signal-processedacoustic signal; and a shape recognition unit configured to recognizethe calculated position as a shape.
 12. The mobile device of claim 11,further comprising: a vibration unit configured to generate a vibrationsignal based on the sensed acoustic signal, wherein the acoustic signalprocessing unit is further configured to measure an acoustic propagationspeed comprising a speed in which the acoustic signal is propagated fromthe object, based on the distance between the sensing unit and thevibration unit and the time it takes for the vibration signal to besensed by the sensing unit.
 13. The mobile device of claim 12, whereinthe acoustic signal position determining unit is further configured tocalculate the position using a multilateration comprising a positioncalculation algorithm, based on a time delay from when the acousticsignal reaches the sensing unit and the measured acoustic propagationspeed.
 14. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising a displayunit configured to display the recognized shape in a symmetrical manner.15. A method of processing an acoustic signal, the method comprising:sensing an acoustic signal based on a touch inputted from a surface of amobile device; signal processing the sensed acoustic signal; calculatinga position of the inputted touch based on the signal-processed acousticsignal; and executing a function based on the calculated position. 16.The method of claim 15, wherein the sensing comprises sensing theacoustic signal generated by touching an object that is approximately incontact with the mobile device.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein: thesignal processing comprises at least one of: amplifying and filteringthe sensed acoustic signal; and the signal processing comprises at leastone of: a sampling operation, a quantization operation, and an encodingoperation to convert the sensed analog acoustic signal into a digitalacoustic signal.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculatingcomprises: dividing the signal-processed acoustic signal into segments;and calculating consecutive coordinates of the position of the inputtedtouch by applying a position calculation algorithm to each of thedivided segments.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the calculatingcomprises calculating the position using a multilateration comprising aposition calculation algorithm, based on the time it takes for theacoustic signal to reach an acoustic sensor that includes at least oneof: a noise sensor, a vibration sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor. 20.The method of claim 15, wherein the calculating comprises: measuring adifference in time from when the acoustic signal reaches each of aplurality of acoustic sensor pairs for sensing the acoustic signal; andcalculating coordinates of the position by applying the measureddifference in times to Equations 1 and 2,√{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y ₁)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₁)²+(y−y₁)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}{square root over ((x−x₃)²+(y−y ₃)²)}=vΔt _(1,3),  [Equation 1]and√{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y ₂)²)}{square root over ((x−x ₂)²+(y−y₂)²)}−√{square root over ((x−x ₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}{square root over ((x−x₄)²+(y−y ₄)²)}=vΔt _(2,4),  [Equation 2] where x and y denotecoordinates of the position of the inputted touch, and (x₁,y₁), (x₂,y₂),(x₃,y₃), and (x₄,y₄) denote coordinates of the position of the pluralityof acoustic sensor pairs.
 21. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: storing, in a storing unit, a character corresponding to thefunction to be performed, wherein the executing comprises: recognizing,as a character, a consecutive input with respect to coordinates of thecalculated position; and executing the function based on the recognizedcharacter stored in the storing unit.
 22. The method of claim 15,further comprising: recognizing the calculated position as a continuousshape; and displaying, on a screen, the recognized shape.
 23. Acomputer-readable storage medium storing a program to process anacoustic signal, the storage medium comprising: sensing an acousticsignal based on a touch inputted from a surface of a mobile device;signal processing the sensed acoustic signal; calculating a positioninputted by the touch based on the signal-processed acoustic signal; andexecuting a function based on the calculated position.